Lagos got a masterclass in staying true to yourself this week, as creative director, stylist, and image-maker Ashley Okoli launched her debut photo book The Source, amidst a room full of friends, collaborators, and longtime admirers.

If you've spent any time in Lagos's creative circles, Ashley Okoli's name needs little introduction. A multi-hyphenate force across creative direction and high-profile styling, she counts her role as creative director, co-director, and stylist for the Victoria's Secret World Tour in Lagos among the defining moments of her career. But The Source marks something more personal. The photo book is a visual and written record of who she is right now, told across three chapters titled Black Fuel, Girl with a Gun, and Crude Bloom.

The evening opened with moderator Woju taking the floor for a candid Q&A that moved between career milestones, creative process, and hard-won philosophy. When Woju asked which chapter Ashley Okoli resonated with most, the answer was, fittingly, all of them. "Black Fuel, the thing that keeps me going. Girl with a Gun, the thing that helps me make choices. And Crude bloom - who I’m becoming the thing that just keeps me going really, because the growth is not linear," she explained. "I know this saying is very popular — 'healing is not linear' — but this is a bit more than healing. This is discovering, this is recovery, this is new beginnings, and it's not linear at all."

Ashley Okoli traced the book's origins back to 2024, when an early attempt at zine-making left her mother in Kano unmoved. The real work began this year. "I decided in 2026, where I felt honestly the most powerful, I was like, 'Okay, maybe this is the time to do what I do best, which is a book.' I just literally started... a demo of the book, and I was like, 'Okay, maybe if I make a demo I can tell an actual book maker how to do it,' but I just kept going, and going, and going. And I finished." Production stories brought some of the lightest moments of the night, especially Ashley Okoli's recollection of shooting the Crude Bloom chapter on a farm in Ogun State — chickens included. "I feel like the most trying place to work was Ogun State because it was far, number one. Number two, I actually have to deal with animals... we're losing daylight, we have to run, rush." The location, she said, mirrored the chapter's message: growth — like that shoot — is never a straight line.

Ashley Okoli closed the Q&A with a nod to what's ahead, including a long-delayed film project. "I did a film, I started doing a magazine... that never happened. But the film — on the topic of brewing — is still brewing. I know it's been two years, but Gemini Confessions will be out soon." She left the room with a promise: "I feel like everything in my life is brewing. You are always going to be surprised by something, and I hope I keep you all on your toes for the rest of your lives."

You can still get the book on her website - AshleyOkoli.com